> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://learn.nextedy.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Baselines and Comparison

> Create frozen checklist baselines for audit compliance and compare checklist state across document revisions.

export const LastReviewed = ({date}) => {
  if (!date) return null;
  const formatted = new Date(`${date}T00:00:00Z`).toLocaleDateString("en-US", {
    year: "numeric",
    month: "long",
    day: "numeric",
    timeZone: "UTC"
  });
  return <p className="mt-10 text-sm text-gray-400 dark:text-zinc-500 not-prose">
      Last reviewed on {formatted}
    </p>;
};

## Prerequisites

* A document (LiveDoc) with a checklist configured on a custom field
* The baseline work item type configured in your project (default: `btask`)
* A custom field for storing baseline revision identifiers (default: `baseline`)

## How Baselines Work

Checklist baselines store a frozen copy of the checklist definition at a specific document revision. This prevents subsequent checklist changes from altering historical records, which is critical for regulatory compliance and audit trails.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/none-17b4493f/Jklvz9qm2AdmIvBG/checklist/diagrams/guides/baselines/diagram-1.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=Jklvz9qm2AdmIvBG&q=85&s=20440d81cb7c5cea6323253738adc1bd" alt="diagram" style={{ maxWidth: "720px", width: "100%" }} width="720" height="360" data-path="checklist/diagrams/guides/baselines/diagram-1.svg" />
</Frame>

Baselines are stored as dedicated work items in the project. Each baseline work item captures the checklist state for a specific document revision.

## Configuring Baseline Properties

Configure the baseline system through Polarion **Administration > Configuration Properties**.

| Property           | Default    | Description                                              |
| ------------------ | ---------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| Baseline item type | `btask`    | The work item type used to store baseline checklist data |
| Baseline field     | `baseline` | The custom field that stores the revision identifier     |

<Warning title="Create the custom field first">
  The custom field specified for baseline storage must exist in your Polarion project configuration before baselines can be saved. Create a custom field of the appropriate type on the baseline work item type before enabling this feature.
</Warning>

### Setting Up the Baseline Work Item Type

1. Navigate to **Administration > Work Items > Types** in your Polarion project.

2. Verify that the work item type used for baselines exists (default: `btask`). If it does not exist, create it or configure a different type through the configuration property.

3. Add the baseline custom field (default: `baseline`) to the work item type if it is not already present.

4. Save the configuration.

<Tip title="Document-scoped configuration">
  Baseline configuration properties can be set at different scopes. You can define global defaults and override them per-document context, allowing different projects or document types to use different baseline work item types.
</Tip>

## Viewing Baselines in a Document

The baselines view displays all saved baseline work items for the current document, sorted by the baseline field value.

To display the baselines view in a LiveDoc:

1. Open the document in the Polarion editor.

2. The baselines widget renders the list of available baselines with their revision identifiers.

3. Select a specific baseline revision to view the frozen checklist state at that point in time.

## Comparing Baselines Across Revisions

Use the revision parameter to navigate between historical baseline states:

1. Open the document containing the checklist baselines.

2. Select the first baseline revision to view.

3. Note the checklist item states (OK, NOK, N/A, Pending, Empty) for each item.

4. Navigate to a different revision to compare how items changed over time.

This comparison is useful for:

* **Audit reviews** -- Demonstrate that all checklist items were completed before a milestone
* **Compliance evidence** -- Show the state of review checklists at the time of approval
* **Change tracking** -- Identify which checklist items changed between revisions

## Baselines and Checklist Freezing

Baselines work in conjunction with the checklist freeze feature. When you freeze a checklist at a specific workflow status using `nextedy.checklist._TYPEID._FIELDID._STATUS.mergeTemplate=false`, the checklist stops merging template updates. This frozen state is what gets captured in a baseline.

A typical workflow:

1. Configure template merging to stop at the approval status
2. Use the `ChecklistApplyTemplate` workflow function to synchronize the checklist before approval
3. Transition to the approval status -- the checklist is now frozen
4. Create a baseline to capture the frozen checklist state
5. The baseline work item stores the checklist data permanently, independent of future changes

<Warning title="Initialize the checklist before freezing">
  A frozen checklist shows only the data stored at the time of freezing. If checklist items were never synchronized from the template, the frozen baseline will be incomplete. Use the `ChecklistApplyTemplate` workflow function on the transition that precedes your freeze status to ensure completeness.
</Warning>

## Hiding Baselines in PDF Export

You can configure the baselines view to be hidden in PDF exports. This is useful when baselines are only relevant for interactive use and should not appear in printed documents.

<Info title="Verify in application">
  The exact method for hiding baselines in PDF exports depends on your document template configuration. Check your Velocity template for the appropriate option.
</Info>

## Verification

You should now see:

* Baseline work items created in the project for each document revision that has a saved baseline
* The baselines widget in your document displaying available revisions
* The ability to select a specific revision and view the frozen checklist state
* Checklist item states preserved exactly as they were at the time of baselining

## See Also

* [Freezing Checklists by Status](/checklist/guides/freeze-by-status) -- Stop template merging at specific workflow statuses
* [Workflow Gates and Validation](/checklist/guides/workflow-gates) -- Enforce checklist completion before status transitions
* [Creating and Managing Templates](/checklist/guides/templates) -- Define baseline checklist templates
* [Read-Only Mode](/checklist/guides/readonly-mode) -- Make checklists non-editable after approval

<LastReviewed date="2026-07-02" />